Eorzea

Lore & Background

Eorzea is a land steeped in the history of the Twelve, ancient deities who once walked among mortals before retreating into legend. The continent's geography is shaped by the flow of aether, an energy source that fuels both magic and technology. However, this abundance attracts Primals, god-like entities summoned through faith and sacrifice to protect specific tribes or nations. These beings demand worship and often threaten the balance of the world, forcing the people of Eorzea into a perpetual cycle of summoning and slaying their own creations. The political landscape is dominated by three major city-states: Gridania, which maintains an ancient covenant with the local Elementals; Ul'dah, a sultanate steered by the profit-driven Syndicate that worships Nald'thal; and Limsa Lominsa, a maritime republic balancing naval dominance with pirate heritage under the patronage of Nymeia. These factions formed the Eorzean Alliance to defend against external threats, most notably the technologically advanced Garlean Empire from across the sea. The Garleans possess an innate racial inability to channel aether, rendering them incapable of traditional magic; consequently, they developed magitek weaponry to compensate for this trait and project power through mechanical means rather than sorcery. The history of this region is punctuated by Calamities, world-shattering events caused by the clash between Primals and the planet's defenses.

In Their Own Story

Narratively, the region is defined by the player's journey as a Warrior of Light amidst the aftermath of the Seventh Umbral Calamity. The plot follows the unification of the Eorzean Alliance against the Garlean Empire and the containment of Primal threats that endanger the world's stability. From the shadowed streets of Ul'dah to the windswept peaks of Coerthas, every conflict serves as a testament to the people's resolve to protect their home from annihilation.

Reader's Guide

Eorzea serves as the central hub for exploration and conflict throughout the majority of the game's narrative. It is where players first establish their home, choose their starting city based on race and class preferences, and begin their journey as a Warrior of Light. The continent acts as a microcosm of the world's broader struggles, offering distinct environments that range from lush forests and volcanic badlands to arid deserts and rocky coastlines. The story here revolves around the unification of the Eorzean Alliance and the player's role in restoring peace across the fractured lands.

Did You Know?

• Aldenard is the name of the entire continent, while Eorzea refers specifically to the western region where the three main city-states are located.
• Each of the three main city-states holds a specific patron deity: Gridania covenants with the Elementals, Ul'dah worships Nald'thal, and Limsa Lominsa honors Nymeia.
• The Garlean people are born with an innate inability to channel aether; their magitek technology was invented specifically to bypass this racial trait and allow them to wield power without magic.
• Eorzea is not the only continent on Hydaelyn; it shares the planet with Othard, Ilsabard, and other lands explored in later expansions.